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Monday, November 3, 2014

Countdown continues

I know I haven't crossed the finish line yet, hell, I haven't even bought my airline ticket or started my training plan yet, but this race is unlike anything I have even encountered. For the record, I am 6 weeks from the start of my official training plan and 194 days from race day.

The reason I am saying this is unlike anything I have ever done, is, because other than the obvious, how I am reacting to it. I think about it ALL the time. It is a great motivator to be registered for a race that scares the crap out of you! It has really become pretty consuming in that I think about it, worry about it, etc, plan for it, All. The. Time.

What am I most excited about? Being able to say I am a freakin Ironman! Being able to push myself and learn and grow through out the experience and see what I find along the way. I am excited for the training, even though it will be brutal. I am excited to go to Texas! As I have said before, this is a home town kind of race for me. Can't think of a better place to do it!

What am I the most scared of? Well, other than the fact it is 140.6 miles, probably the swim. That may sound weird as swimming is my strength, but it does scare me to start a massive swim like that with 2500 of my new close friends. I am really hoping they decide to implement the Safe Swim Start to this. I know, I know, there are people that say if you can't take the heat, stay out of the kitchen, but everyone has different preferences in racing and training, and this would ease some of my fears and make for a better day. It is like saying if you have to walk on the marathon you shouldn't do an Ironman. BS.

I am also scared of being enough. Will my training be enough? I am scared of outside factors affecting the race, like the swim being cancelled, or the race as a whole cancelled. I know this is HIGHLY unlikely with this race, but I pray it isn't the case. IMFL had the swim cancelled yesterday, IMLT was cancelled all together. Things like that terrify me. I am okay with hot and humid, but PLEASE don't let anything freakish cancel the race!

I hear that this kind of worrying and obsessing over the race is completely normal. And, I must admit, it does keep me motivated and I am missing very little workouts. I feel strong right now. I am injury free (knock on wood). I feel like I am ready to tackle the training and then the race at the end of it all if it all continues to go well. This is already one heck of a journey!